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SUGGESTIONS FOR 

Selecting and Planting Trees 

By GORDON E. TOWER, M. F. 



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ISSUED JOINTLY BY 
MAINE FORESTRY AND 
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENTS 



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SUGGESTIONS FOR THE 
OBSERVANCE OF 

ARBOR DAY 

BY THE 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MAINE 

WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING 
AND PLANTING TREES 



PREPARED BY 

GORDON E. TOWER, M. F. 

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY 

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE 



ISSUED JOINTLY BY THE 

MAINE FORESTRY AND EDUCATIONAL 
DEPARTMENTS 



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D, OF D. 



ARBOR DAY 

By 

Gordon E. Tower, M. F., 
Professor of Forestry, University of Maine. 

The idea of having a day set aside to be devoted to the plant- 
ing of trees originated with Governor J. Sterling Morton, of 
Nebraska, the idea taking concrete form in 1872 when the State 
Board of Agriculture of that state appointed a day as Arbor 
day. From that time on the movement gained favor until now 
the day is observed by every state in the Union. 

The chief lesson which has come down to us from the past 
observance of Arbor Day is that it is a day set aside for the 
planting of trees with the work centered largely, if not entirely, 
in setting out individual trees for ornamental purposes. In the 
effort to make Arbor day serve a useful purpose in the forestry 
movement, this feature has been made the most prominent so 
that many people still believe that forestry consists only in the 
planting of trees. 

The true significance of trees in the life of the nation has 
been lost sight of in poetry and sentimentalism which have char- 
acterized the exercises of the day, and instead of directing the 
attention of business men to the larger economic and practical 
questions involved in forestry, have made them regard the 
movement only as a fad. 

The planting of individual trees can rightly be made one of 
the chief features. The exercises, too, can center about the 
planting but they should be so planned and selected as to bring 
to the pupil's attention in a simple, direct way other facts than 
merely how to plant the tree and care for it. The isolated trees 
planted along the roadside and in the city streets give an added 
charm and beauty ; those around our houses are not only beauti- 
ful in themselves but they furnish refreshing shade in the sum- 
mer and in the winter may even save on the fuel burned by pro- 



tecting our houses from the cold winds. As a feature of the 
day proper attention should be directed to the planting for such 
purposes. 

The tree that is of greatest significance to us as a nation, how- 
ever, is the forest tree, because it serves so many useful purposes. 
It is our forest trees which help to hold back and store up the 
water for our streams which supply power for mills and which 
are. used for navigation, or from which water for irrigation and 
drinking purposes is obtained. Then, too, the harvesting and 
conversion of the products of the forest every year furnishes 
employment to many thousand people. In fact it is the tree 
in the forest which has made our state prosperous and we must, 
therefore, give more and better attention to the forest trees if 
we are to continue to maintain our place in the nation. 

It is this idea that is the basis of forestry, and that is kept 
in mind when forestry is practiced. Here then is the truer and 
broader lesson of Arbor Day and with this in mind the aim 
should be to impart, especially to the children, such knowledge 
of forestry and its relation to the welfare of the nation as their 
minds are capable of grasping. However modest the work of 
Arbor Day, it may be made a step in the right direction by 
bringing to mind a great many important facts of significance 
in forestry. 



Suggestions for Arbor Day. 

The relation of the forest to the regularity of flow of streams 
can be made a subject for discussion. The attention of the pu- 
pils can be called to the washing away of the soil and the form- 
ation of deep gullies on steep hillsides where the forests have 
been removed and if the soil is thin how it is often completely 
washed away leaving nothing but the bare rock. Then how this 
soil is carried into the streams causing the muddy freshet in the 
spring and after a heavy rain storm; and how the load of silt 
and sand carried by the water is deposited in the channel of 
the stream and is even carried down to fill up our harbors so 
that, in the latter instance, much costly dredging is necessary in 
order to keep the harbor passable for ships. The washing of 
the soil can be seen on any steep exposed embankment and on 
plowed hillsides. 



One or two simple experiments may be performed by way of 
illustration. A little soil may be stirred in a glass of water and 
then allowed to settle to show how the stream remains muddy 
when it flows swiftly, and how the load of silt and sand which it 
carries settles to the bottom in the more level portions of the 
stream. 

The great value of the forest on the mountain slope and on 
steep hillsides can be illustrated by means of a board 12, 14, or 
16 inches wide and 2 or 3 feet long placed at an incline on a 
table. Then with a garden sprinkling can pour water on the 
board and see how quickly it runs off. Next put some soil on 
the board and pour water on this. The soil at first takes up 
the water until it becomes saturated and then if we continue 
to pour on the water the soil begins to wash away just as it 
does on the mountain slope when the forest is gone. Now, re- 
new the soil on the board and put over it a layer of fine sawdust 
or finely divided vegetable matter from the woods to represent 
the layer of leaves and humus in the forest ; then pour the water 
over this with the sprinkling can. After a time the water be- 
gins to trickle out from the lower edge of the soil and its cov- 
ering, and runs off gradually. This will serve to illustrate how 
the layer of leaves and humus acts as a sponge to absorb the rain 
and store it up in the soil to appear later in the form of numer- 
ous springs to feed the streams long after the wet season is 
past, thus regulating their flow and furnishing a supply of 
water during the dry season. 

The teacher can carry the illustration still another step farther 
by holding a few small branches of fir, spruce, or pine above the 
board in imitation of the canopy formed by the branches of the 
trees to show how the trees dissipate the force of the rain as it 
falls, and prevent the evaporation of moisture from the forest 
soil so that more of it sinks into the ground to appear later in 
the form of living springs. 

The many uses of wood can be made the basis for subjects for 
Arbor Day compositions or short talks by the teachers. With 
the exception of air and water, wood is the most abundant of 
nature's gifts offered for man's use. We can form no idea of 
the hardships that would have to be incurred by us as a nation 
if we were suddenly deprived of our supply of wood. The 
houses in which we live are largely made of wood and the fuel' 



commonly used to warm them is wood. Even the match used 
to kindle the fire or light the lamp is largely made of wood. 
The material for tables, chairs, and desks in the house, for the 
wooden parts of carriages and wagons, for the handles of 
axes, shovels, rakes, and a hundred other implements in com- 
mon use as well as that for paper stock for books and news- 
papers is taken from the forest. 

In comparison with iron or stone, wood is easy to procure and 
easy to work, and easy to place in position. This fact alone 
makes it especially desirable to say nothing of the pleasing 
effects to be secured from wood when it is properly polished, 
filled, and covered with a transparent material like varnish. 

Likewise the flowers and seeds of trees are interesting sub- 
jects for compositions by the pupils or talks by the teacher and 
can well be made a field for investigation at other times than 
on Arbor Day. Even though flowers of the trees may not 
be available on Arbor Day, there are many interesting facts of 
botany which might be mentioned and discussed at that time. 
There are some trees' which produce perfect flowers that pol- 
lenize their own pistils as for instance the black locust and bass- 
wood ; other trees like the pines, spruces, beech, and oaks pro- 
duce the two kinds of flowers, staminate and pistillate, sepa- 
rately on the same tree while trees like the willows, cottonwoods, 
and ashes produce the pistillate flowers on one tree and the stam- 
inate on another. In the case of the last two classes the means 
by which the pollenization is accomplished at once suggests an- 
other most interesting subject, namely, how the pollen is blown 
by the wind or carried by insects and the many interesting and 
even intricate devices of nature to secure and insure polleniza- 
tion. 

There are different adaptations for the distribution of the 
seeds. Some, like the pines, spruces, and maples, are provided 
with a wing so that they are carried by the wind; seeds" of the, 
cottonwoods and poplars are very small with a fuzzy thread- 
like attachment that is very buoyant so that the seeds are often 
transported long distances through the air. Some seeds are 
produced in a pod, the honey locust being an interesting ex- 
ample. The pods of this tree on drying become twisted spirally 
so that when they fall to the ground or on the snow they are 
more easily blown about by the wind, especially if there happens 



to be a crust on the snow. The seed of the wild cherry, for 
example, is distributed by birds which eat the fruit to get the 
edible pulp surrounding the seed. And then there are some 
seeds like those of the oaks, hickories and butternuts which are 
heavy and are not easily distributed except perhaps by man or 
animals like the squirrel. In the fall of the year when so many 
seeds mature, a collection could be made by the teacher to be 
used for illustration of an Arbor Day talk. 

Forestry is also a good field for nature studies and the interest 
in the day can be made keener and the value of the instruction 
much greater if some nature study can be carried on during the 
school year. Besides the trees in the woods, there are the beau- 
tiful flowers and other vegetation of almost endless variety as- 
sociated with the forest growth, the insects, birds, and animals 
that dwell in the forest, all of which charms the youthful mind 
and forms an excellent opportunity to stimulate the faculty of 
investigation in the pupil, leading them into fields of their own 
discovering, besides being a means of keeping the youthful fac- 
ulties in touch with the world of reality. 

A collection of tree seeds can be made by the children in the 
spring or fall, the latter time perhaps being preferable because 
of the larger number of different kinds of seeds which mature 
at that time. These could be planted at school in window boxes 
where their growth could be watched during the winter or out 
of doors in a bed in the school garden ; or if the school is not so 
fortunate as to possess one, in a bed prepared especially for the 
purpose. Some seed like that of the pines and the spruces for 
instance must undergo a short resting period before germinating. 
Seed of this kind could be stored in sacks in a cool, dry place 
and sown in the window boxes in February or March or re- 
served for the outdoor sowing. Such seed would be all right 
if sown in the boxes in the fall, because that is nature's time for 
sowing, and would germinate after a time, provided the soil is 
kept moist. Even when sown under the most favorable condi- 
tions it is often two weeks before such seed commences to ger- 
minate. In fact with a good many different kinds of tree seed 
a longer time is required for them to start than is the case of 
corn, wheat or garden seeds. 



Suggestions for Planting. 

Planting may be done in the fall after the growth of the sea- 
son is completed or in the spring before growth begins. Plant- 
ing in the spring may begin as soon as the frost is out of the 
ground enough to permit the trees being set at the proper 
depth. 

It would be better also if the planting could be done on cool 
damp days. Sunny, windy days increase the danger of injury if 
the roots become unduly exposed. 

A thing of fundamental importance to the success of the 
planting work is never to leave the roots exposed. If the trees 
are procured from the woods or fields in the immediate vicinity 
certain rules should be observed. 

i. Procure as much of the root system as possible with trees 
under three feet in height. With larger trees procure as much 
of the root system as can be conveniently handled. 

2. Dig the trees out. Do not pull them up as it is very apt 
to injure the roots. 

3. As soon as a tree is removed measures should immediate- 
ly be taken to protect the roots. This can be done by covering 
with moist soil or wet burlap. 

4. Keep the roots protected all the time while the trees are 
being transported to the place where they are to be set out and 
until ready to place in the ground. Wet burlap sacks are excel- 
lent for this purpose. For small trees which could be carried in 
a basket, damp sphagnum moss, or even damp leaves could be 
used instead of the burlap. Whatever material is used, care 
should be taken to keep it damp. 

5. Set the trees so that they will be at the same depth as in 
their original position after the soil has settled. 

6. Never prune the tops of conifers. 

If the trees can be taken up with a ball of earth about the 
roots it will add materially to the success of the work, and the 
precautions mentioned to prevent the drying out of the roots 
are not then so important. It would be well, however, to wrap 
the ball of earth with burlap to hold the soil in place. It should 
be remembered also that seedlings which have been accustomed 
to growing in more or less shade do not, as a rule, succeed as 
well at first when given the full benefit of the sunlight. 



If the trees are purchased of a nurseryman they should be 
unpacked as soon as received, and the roots protected by "heel- 
ing in" the trees, that is, burying the roots in fresh soil until 
time to plant. This will not be necessary, of course, if the 
planting can be done at once. 

By arranging with some owner to plant a few trees in a field 
unsuited for raising crops or on an area cut over in the woods, 
or even a row of trees to serve as a windbreak, would broaden 
the scope of the work. And no matter how few trees were set 
out it serves to illustrate planting for practical purposes. In 
this way the work could be done just as it is in commercial 

planting. 

Arbor Day is not the only time of year when trees should be 
cared for and remembered. Newly planted trees, especially, 
need attention throughout the season. The ruthless injury done 
to trees by children, sometimes of such a nature as often to be- 
come an act of vandalism, needs to be discouraged at all times. 
A broken limb or wound in the bark makes an opening where 
dangerous insects may enter, or fungus diseases get a start, 
either of which might eventually cause the death of the tree. 



SOME CONIFEROUS TREES SUITABLE FOR 
ORNAMENTAL PLANTING. 

Native Species. 

WHITE PINE makes its best development on fertile, well- 
drained soils but will grow on sandy soils and in moist situa- 
tions. 

RED SPRUCE grows best on well drained upland soils. It 
is often found in moist places and on thin soils but in the latter, 
situation does not make its best development. 

HEMLOCK prefers moist, cool, and shady places, and a 
sandy loam soil for its best development, but like other trees 
will grow in poorer situations. 

RED OR NORWAY PINE is naturally adapted to grow on 
poor sandy soil. When planted on richer soils it makes a more 
rapid development. It should not be planted in wet places or 
in soil which is not well drained. 

Introduced Species. 

AUSTRIAN PINE grows well on sandy loam, or clay loam 
soils having a good drainage and will also make a good develop- 
ment on poorer soils if there is good drainage. It cannot be 
expected to succeed in wet places. 

SCOTCH PINE grows naturally on poor soils but can be 
planted on fertile sandy loam soils of good drainage. Like the 
Austrian Pine it should not be planted in wet soil 

NORWAY SPRUCE succeeds best on fertile, fresh, sandy 
loam soil. It is used very extensively in ornamental planting. 

EUROPEAN LARCH. This tree can be planted on poor 
sandy soils or on better soil of a sandy loam character. As a 
general thing it is much better for planting than our native 
larch. 



SOME DECIDUOUS TREES SUITABLE FOR 
ORNAMENTAL PLANTING. 

Native Species. 

WHITE BIRCH thrives best in a rich moist soil. 

BEECH requires a rich upland soil for its best development 
although it is found growing naturally on ridges having a shal- 
low soil. 

RED OAK succeeds best in rich upland soil but will grow in 
other kinds of soils and situations, even on the poor thin soil of 
ridges. 

AMERICAN ELM prefers rich bottom lands and the moist 
soil along streams. It grows well, however, in fresh, fertile soil 
on higher land back from streams. 

SUGAR MAPLE makes its best development on rich, moist, 
upland soils. 

SILVER MAPLE grows naturally on sandy banks along 
streams but does very well in most sandy loam soil on higher 
ground. 

RED MAPLE is naturally a swamp tree and therefore adapt- 
ed for planting in wet places. It can be expected to succeed 
very well on higher ground in moist sandy loam or clay loam 
soils. 

BASS WOOD requires a rich soil for its best development. 

WHITE ASH succeeds well on rich, rather moist soil of low 
hills and can be planted in fairly wet soil. 



12 



Trees Suitable for Windbreaks.. . 

White pine Red Spruce 

Norway spruce 



Trees That Would Be Used In Commercial Planting. 

White pine Red oak 

Red spruce Red maple 

Red pine White ash 
European larch 



References. 

The following list of books and circulars is appended because 
of the help they may be to the teacher in suggesting subjects for 
talks to the pupils : 

GifTord, Practical Forestry, Putnam, $2.00. 

Roth, First Book of Forestry, Ginn, 90 cents. 

Marsh, The Earth as Modified by Human Action, Scribner, 

$3-5o. 

Forest Service Circular 130 — Forestry in the Public Schools. 
Government Printing Office, free. 

Forest Service Circular 14 — What Forestry has Done, Gov- 
ernment Printing Office, free. 

Apgar, Trees of the Northern United States (Botany), Amer- 
ican Book Co., $1.00. 

Dame & Brooks, Handbook of Trees of New England, (Bot- 
any), Ginn, $1.50. 

The department will be glad to render all assistance possible 
and invites correspondence from any one desiring further in- 
formation. Address all communications to Gordon E. Tower, 
Orono, Maine. 





















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